OUTDOORS: Niagara offers great fishing and more

Thundering water, spectacular scenery, hydropower, tourist attractions and more all come to mind. For a lot of people fishing may not be on that list, but Niagara County has all of the above and much more.

Although I was familiar with much of what Niagara has to offer, I learned more on my last trip there.

Members of the NYS Outdoor Writers' Association had a chance to explore the impressive attractions and outdoor recreation at a recent conference held in Niagara Falls. Niagara County Tourism hosted the conference and did a superb job of organizing it so that attendees had the opportunity to get first hand experience of the great things Niagara has to offer.

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There were so many great activities offered that it was hard to choose. For starters there was fishing the upper Niagara River for bass or muskies, fishing the lower Niagara or nearby 18 Mile Creek for salmon or trout, as well as other waters for bass and trout. Hunters could hunt for deer, pheasant or woodcock.

One morning I fished the lower Niagara River near Lewiston with my friend Ernie Calendrelli. I was joined by my friends Frank Tennity and George Franke and we had a great time with conversation and lots of fishing action. The salmon run on the lower river was basically over, but there were lots of steelhead and lake trout to provide fun and excitement.

This particular day Ernie's plan was to motor upriver a ways and drift down past the Artpark area to Lewiston's dock. That day we drifted Kwikfish lures and the strong current gave them a wobbling look that the steelhead and lakers found irresistible. We caught many lake trout in the 8-10 pound class and some steelhead that gave us a change of pace in the fighting.

Mike Lynch, from Saranac Lake, had never experienced this type of fishing and had the time of his life. He fished in another boat with Joe Marra and caught the best laker of the day, a 17 pound lunker! Mike also caught the biggest steelhead of our group so I guess his learning curve wasn't too steep.

One person in the other boat tried hard to contain her initial disappointment when she heard we were fishing for lake trout. After a couple of them nearly jerked the rod from her hands and gave her all she could handle for a fight, she changed her opinion.

Some people disparage lake trout's fighting ability, but that is largely due to the experience some have of winching them up on heavy salmon rods from depths of over 200 feet where the poor fish get the "bends." Anyone who catches them in shallow water, especially those strong currents of the Niagara River will definitely have a much higher opinion of lake trout and their fighting ability.

Ernie Calendrelli is not only on the pro staff of Quaker Boy Calls, but is a veteran guide in the Niagara River. Contact Ernie at (716) 609-3064 or email ernieqb@yahoo.com for more information. Ernie guides for salmon in the fall; steelhead, brown and lake trout in winter or spring and bass in summer on the lower Niagara River. Sometimes he trolls while other times he will drift with bait or lures, depending on the fish and conditions.

The lower Niagara is a tremendous resource that offers great fishing all year around. It is one that you have to experience for yourself to appreciate the beauty and unique excitement.

Another morning Mike Lynch and I fished 18 Mile Creek for brown and steelhead trout. The salmon run was nearly over, although there were still some at the mouth of the creek where it empties into Lake Ontario at Olcott and a lot of them upstream where the Burt Dam forms a barrier to further migration.

We avoided the crowds and concentrated on fishing the creek from Danny Evans' boat with egg sacks or beads. Action was a bit slower that we expected because most of the fish were intent on heading further upstream to spawn or feed on salmon eggs. It was amazing to see fish -- almost as if in a hatchery -- crowd up that narrow stream. A few browns and steelhead cooperated to keep our interest up.

Danny Evans (716-863-0018 or CaptainDan@LoneWolfSportfishing.com) operates Lone Wolf Sportfishing Charters in the Niagara area year around. (www.LoneWolfSportfishing.com). In summer he guides on Lake Ontario based out of Wilson and in fall he fishes for salmon, steelhead or brown trout on the Oak Orchard River, 18 Mile Creek or the lower Niagara River. He fishes the lower Niagara River all winter. Danny is a pleasant young man and a skilled fisherman who enjoys all types of fishing and has the equipment, boats and knowledge to make it an enjoyable and successful trip. He has also just opened a wild game processing and smoking operation in Newfane.

Other writers enjoyed success while fishing the upper Niagara River for smallmouth bass and muskies. Four muskies were caught, including two by Wayne Brewer who had never fished for them before in his life. Hunters also enjoyed their experience and had success. Niagara County certainly holds a bounty of outdoor fun for anyone interested.

But Niagara County is more than hunting and fishing as many of us know. Of course Niagara Falls with 750,000 gallons of water per minute going over the falls is the premier attraction. Certainly the Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest one in the USA, is a great venue to spend time and enjoy the majesty of the natural wonder.

While you are there be sure to visit Three Sisters Island, Bridal Veil Falls and, particularly, the Cave of the Winds. There are other nearby attractions such as NY Power Authority Visitors Center and hiking trails in the Niagara Gorge.

As a break from the great fishing or for those in the family who aren't outdoorsmen, the city has attractions such as museums and art galleries and nearby historical sites such as Old Fort Niagara or stations on the Underground Railroad. There are agritourism sites and vineyards (Niagara Wine Trail) and other attractions throughout the county.

Check out the web site www.Niagara-Usa.com or call 1-877-FALLS-US for more information or help in experiencing this great area for yourself.

Short Casts

Deer hunting: Although deer hunters have reported seeing fairly good numbers of deer, as well as increased activity, the actual harvest numbers do not reflect it. Several hunters have passed up shots at deer in hopes of getting a big buck later. Hunters have started to notice increased signs of pre-rut activity such as active scrapes and younger bucks moving a lot. The next two weeks should see the peak of deer hunting activity as the rut kicks into gear.

Hurricane Sandy ripped through the Northeast earlier this week, but for Western New York, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as what it could have been. The excessive rain could blow out streams that have already been doing well, like 18 Mile Creek. The odd thing is that the day after the storm, 18 Mile Creek was going bonkers for trout according to local guide Dan Evans of Newfane. Imagine a double digit day for both steelhead and brown trout in the same morning! The day before the storm, the salmon were on a fever pitch high. That action should return by this weekend.

Lower Niagara River action had been slow just prior to Sandy but with the increased flow it could trigger a run of fish. This weekend is still up in the air. When the waters do clear, look for steelhead action to improve and some downriver brown trout angling a good bet.

On the Upper Niagara River look for muddy waters to continue through the weekend. When those conditions subside, musky action should continue to improve with fish getting ready to winter over. Drifting live bait or casting monster tubes are both good methods to take musky.